Integrated resource planning for Atlanta: from regional industrial planning to planning for energy democracy in the data center boom

This paper traces the recent history of utility resource planning in Atlanta to understand the construction of regulatory systems that influence affordability and constraints on public participation in energy planning. In response to the energy crises of the 1970s, states adopted requirements for long-term integrated resource planning at regulated electric utilities. Integrated resource planning encouraged least-cost planning for new generation and energy efficiency while requiring public deliberation before utilities made any investments they might try to recover from ratepayers. Since 1991 when Georgia first mandated integrated resource planning, Atlanta has adopted increasingly aggressive sustainability policies that aim to mitigate climate change and address racialized disparities in energy affordability that contribute to displacement from the gentrifying city. In contrast to these ambitions, the regulated monopoly utility that serves the city has used its planning mandate to facilitate industrial boosterism. Drawing on interviews with environmental advocates, archival documents, and newspaper sources, this paper analyzes integrated resource planning as a form of regional industrial planning and looks retrospectively through the proposed build out of energy generation to power data centres to argue that energy planning must be reimagined to address racialized disparities in energy affordability and provide reparative investment in residential energy systems.